Back closures for brassieres



Nov. 16, 1965 H. SILVERMAN 3,217,714

BACK CLOSURES FOR BRASSIERES Filed Oct. 15, 1963 I NVENTOR. HAROLD S/LVERMAN 3,217,714 BACK CLUSURES FOR BRASSIERES Harold Silverman, Yonkers, N.Y., assignor to Maid-Rite Novelty Crp., Long island Qity, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 316,225 6 Claims. ((11. 12-85ti6) This invention relates generally to releasable fastening means, particularly of the kind intended for use as back closures of brassieres and other similar articles of wearing apparel, such as, the top portions of ladies two-piece or bikini swimsuits.

It has increasingly become the practice to manufacture brassieres and other similar articles of wearing apparel almost completely of stretch fabrics, such as, that known as Spandex, with a view to affording the wearer the maximum comfort with adequate support. However, even those brassieres employing stretch fabrics for the body, breast pockets or cups and straps thereof still utilize hook and eye closures for adjustably securing together the opposite sides of the back of the garment. In such hook and eye back closures, spaced apart eyes are secured, as by stitching, to a non-extensible tape or webbing which is attached, at one end, to one side of the back of the brassiere, and the hooks are secured to the opposite side of the back of the brassiere for engagement with selected eyes. Thus, the tape carrying the eyes constitutes a nonextensible insert between the opposite sides of the back of the brassiere and prevents the attainment of a garment which is entirely stretchable or elastically extensible. Further, the conventional hook and eye back closure is uncomfortable in that the elements thereof tend to dig into the wearers back. When the tape carrying the eyes is provided with an underlying layer of flannel or other soft material to minimize such discomfort, such back closure is of objectionable thickness and protrudes, and is easily visible through outer garments. The conventional hook and eye back closures for brassieres are also objectionable in that the interengagement of the hooks and eyes is eifected only with considerable difficulty.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a back closure for brassieres and the like which forms an elastically extensible insert between the two sides of the back of the brassiere. Thus, when the brassiere is formed of Spandex or other stretch fabric, the entire garment may be elastically extensible for maximum comfort to the wearer.

Another object is to provide a back closure for brassieres which is easily engageable and disengageable when desired, and yet resists inadvertent disengagement.

A further object is to provide a back closure for brassieres which is relatively bulk-free, particularly when engaged, and which presents a smooth inner surface in contact with the wearers back and also a substantially smooth or flat outer surface.

Still another object is to provide a back closure of the described character which may easily be applied to a brassiere or other similar garment thereby to minimize the cost of such application, and which is capable of low cost production.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a back closure for brassieres comprises a length of elastically extensible webbing secured, at one end, to one side of the back of the brassiere, fabric means joined to the Webbing and defining a plurality of pockets spaced apart along the webbing at the outer surface of the latter and each opening toward at least one of the longitudinal edges of the webbing, the distance across each pocket measured along the fabric means being greater than the corresponding distance measured along the webbing when the 3,217,714 Patented Nov, 16, 1965 latter is substantially unstressed so that the fabric means stands away from the webbing at each pocket and causes the latter to gape open, and a clasp member having a body portion secured to the other side of the back of the brassiere and an elongated bar joined at one end to the body portion and insertable longitudinally into a selected one of the gaping open pockets so that a pull tending to separate the two sides of the brassiere back effects longitudinal stressing and elongation of the extensible webbing, thereby closing the pockets to reduce the overall thickness of the closure and to resist disengagement of the bar of the clasp member from the selected pocket.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in connetion with the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a back elevational view of a brassiere embodying a back closure in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged elevational view showing the back closure of the brassiere of FIG. 1 in its engaged condition;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 on FIG. 2, but on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, but showing the parts of the back closure in the disengaged or separated condition of the latter;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a clasp member forming part of the back closure of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5, but showing a modified form of clasp member;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a part of a back closure in accordance with another embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 88 on FIG. 7.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that the brassiere there illustrated may be of conventional construction and generally comprises a pair of breast cups or pockets 11 and 12 joined together at their adjacent edges so as to constitute the front of the brassiere, bands 13 and 14 extending from the outer edges of the pockets 11 and 12 to form the sides and back of the brassiere, shoulder straps 15 secured, at their ends, to the upper edges of the pockets 11 and 12 and the back of the brassiere, and a back closure 16 for releasably and adjustably securing together the free ends of the bands 13 and 14 at the center of the back of the brassiere. The pockets 11 and 12, bands 13 and 14 and shoulder straps 15 of the brassiere may be formed wholly or in part of stretchable or elastically extensible fabrics, such as that known as Spandex, and the shoulder straps 15 may be further longitudinally adjustable, as is conventional in the art.

In accordance with this invention, the back closure 16 comprises releasably engageable parts or members 17 and 18 which are attached, as hereinafter described in detail, to the free ends of bands 13 and 14. The member 17 includes a length of webbing 19 which is elastically extensible in the longitudinal direction and has fabric means 20 joined to the webbing and defining a plurality of pockets 21 which are spaced apart along the webbing 19 at the outer surface of the latter. The pockets 21 open toward one or both of the longitudinal edges of the webbing 19, and the fabric means 20 for defining the pockets may be constituted, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, by a tape extending along the outer surface of webbing 19 and secured to the latter intermediate the pockets 21, as by the stitching 22. The tape 20 constituting the fabric means for defining the pockets 21 preferably has a width smaller than that of the webbing 19 so that the open ends of the pockets 21 are spaced inwardly from the longitudinal edges of the webbing. Further, the tape 20 may be either elastically extensible in the longitudinal direction, or merely flexible but not extensible.

As shown particularly on FIG. 4, the distance d across each pocket 21 measured along the fabric means 2t is substantially greater than the corresponding distance d measured along the webbing 19 when the latter is substantially unstressed so that the fabric means 26 defining the pockets 21 stands away from the webbing 19 at each pocket and causes the latter to gape open at the ends of the pocket.

The other part 18 of back closure 16 is in the form of a clasp member of metal or a suitably rigid plastic material. The clasp member 18 includes a body portion 23 adapted to be secured to the free end of band 14, and an elongated bar 24 joined at one end, preferably, at the upper end thereof, to the body portion 23 so as to extend parallel to the free end edge of band 1 Thus, the bar 24- is insertable longitudinally, from above, into a selected one of the pockets 21 of member 17 for releasably and adjustably securing together the ends of the bands 13 and 14.

When engaging the members 17 and 18 of closure 16, member 17 is grasped at a location therealong between the selected pocket 21 in which :bar 24 is to be inserted and the end of webbing 19 secured to band 13 so that pulling together of the ends of bands 13 and 14 will not longitudinally stress the webbing 19 at the location of the selected pocket 21. Thus, at the time of insertion of bar 24 in a selected pocket 21, the latter will continue to gape open, as in FIG. 4, thereby to facilitate such insertion. How ver, after insertion of bar 24 in a selected pocket 21, release of the ends of bands 13 and 14 by the wearer will result in a longitudinal pull being exerted on the webbing 19 to longitudinally extend the latter, as shown on FIG. 3. Such longitudinal extension of webbing 19 will cause the distance D across each pocket 21 measured along the fabric means 20 to be nearly equalled by the corresponding distance D measured along the webbing 19, as on FIG. 3, thereby closing the pockets 21 to reduce the overall thickness of the back closure 16 and further to resist inadvertent removal of bar 24 from the selected pocket 21 in which it is engaged.

The member 17 of closure 16 may be simply secured, at one end, to the free end of band 13, as by stitching 25. In order to adapt clasp member 18 for attachment to the end of band 14, body portion 23 of the clasp member is formed with a slot 26 (FIG. and a fabric loop 27 is passed through slot 26 and stitched to the end of band 14, as at 28 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Alternatively, as shown on FIG. 6, the clasp member 18a of a back closure embodying this invention may have its body portion 23a, from which the bar 24a extends, formed wtih a relatively thin, integral web 29 so that, when the clasp member 1&1 is molded of a plastic material, such as, for example, nylon or Delrin, that is, super-polyoxymethylene having a molecular weight of at least 15,000, the stitches 28 may pass through the thin web 29 for directly attaching the clasp member to the end of band 14.

When the fabric means 219 defining the pockets 21 is of a flexible material which is not longitudinally extensible, the longitudinal extensibility of the webbing 19 is limited to the cumulative amount by the which the distances d exceed the distances d However, when the fabric means for defining the pockets 21 is also formed of an elastically extensible material, then initial longitudinal extension of the webbing 19 causes closing or flattening of the pockets 21, as described above, and thereafter further longitudinal extension of the webbing 19 is accompanied by corresponding longitudinal extension of the fabric means 20.

Although the fabric means 2t? for defining the pockets d 21 is constituted by a tape which is woven or otherwise formed independently of the webbing 1i and thereafter suitably secured to the latter in the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 will show that, in a back closure embodying this invention, the elastically extensible Webbing 19a and the fabric means 20a for defining the pockets 21a may be integrally formed, for example, by conventional methods for weaving double-faced fabrics. In the latter case, the Webbing 19a and the fabric means Zita will constitute the two faces of the fabric which are free of each other in the regions of the desired pockets 21a, and which are interwoven intermediate the pockets, as at 22a. Where the webbing 19a and fabric means Zita are integrally joined together, the distances across each pocket 21a measured along the fabric means 26a are also greater than the corresponding distances along the Webbing 1% so that, as shown on FIG. 8, the pockets 21a also gape open when the webbing 19a is in its unstressed condition, thereby to facilitate the insertion of the bar 24 or 24a of the clasp member 18 or 13a in a selected one of the pockets.

It will be apparent that, after the parts of the back closure embodying this invention have been engaged with each other, as described above, the inner surface of the webbing 19 or 19!: is smooth for maximum comfort to the wearer. Flattening of the pockets 21 or 21a, not only reduces the thickness of the back closure and resists inadvertent removal of the bar 24 or 2.4a from the selected pocket, as described above, but further ensures that the back closure will have a substantially smooth outer surface, thereby to avoid the protrusion or visibility of the back closure through the wearers outer garments.

The fact that the back closure embodying this invention is longitudinally extensible is also desirable in connection with the use of such back closures on brassieres which are not otherwise fully extensible. In such case, the webbing 19 or 1% of the back closure may be directly attached to one side of the back of the brassiere to constitute an elastically extensible insert at the back of the brassiere, thereby to avoid the necessity of interposing an elastic insert, as with conventional hook and eye back closures. The extent of the stretch afforded by the back closure embodying this invention may be governed by suitably selecting the length of the webbing 19 or 19a thereof.

Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims. What is claimed is: 1. A back closure for brassieres comprising a length of elastically extensible webbing adapted to be secured, at one end, to one side of the back of a brassiere;

fabric means joined to said webbing and defining a plurality of pockets spaced apart along the webbing at the outer surface of the latter and each opening toward at least one of the longitudinal edges of said webbing, the distance along said fabric means across each pocket being substantially greater than the distance along said webbing across the related pocket when said webbing is substantially unstressed, thereby normally causing said fabric means and Webbing to be substantially spaced from each other at the center of each pocket opening so that each pocket gapes open at least toward said one longitudinal edge of the webbing; and

a clasp member having a body portion adapted to be secured to the other side of the back of a brassiere,

and an elongated bar joined at one end of said body portion and insertable longitudinally into a selected one of said gaping open pockets so that a pull tending to separate the two sides of the brassiere back efiects longitudinal stressing and elongation of the extensible webbing, thereby closing said pockets to reduce the overall thickness of the closure and to resist disengagement of said bar from the selected pocket.

2. A back closure for brassieres as in claim 1;

wherein the opening of each of said pockets toward said one longitudinal edge is spaced from the latter so that the portion of said webbing between said one longitudinal edge and said opening of the pocket acts to guide said bar of the clasp member into the selected pocket.

3. A back closure for brassieres as in claim 1;

wherein said fabric means defining the pockets is nonextensible so that the longitudinal stretching of said webbing is limited to the cumulative difference between the distances across said pockets along said fabric means and along said Webbing, respectively, in the unstressed condition of the webbing.

4. A back closure for brassieres as in claim 1;

wherein said fabric means defining the pockets is also elastically extensible in the longitudinal direction of the webbing.

5. A back closure for brassieres as in claim 4;

wherein said webbing and fabric means defining the pockets are interwoven in the regions thereof intermediate said pockets.

6. A back closure for brassieres as in claim 1;

wherein said fabric means is constituted by an elongated tape secured to said webbing at spaced apart locations along the latter so as to define said pockets between said locations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,560,706 7/ 1951 Spetalnik 128498 2,738,509 3/1956 Bauder 128506 3,076,463 2/1963 Vorsteher 128-501 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BACK CLOSURE FOR BRASSIERES COMPRISING A LENGTH OF ELASTICALLY EXTENSIBLE WEBBING ADAPTED TO BE SECURED, AT ONE END, TO ONE SIDE OF THE BACK OF A BRASSIERE; FABRIC MEANS JOINED TO SAID WEBBING AND DEFINING A PLURALITY OF POCKETS SPACED APART ALONG THE WEBBING AT THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE LATTER AND EACH OPENING TOWARD AT LEAST ONE OF THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF SAID WEBBING, THE DISTANCE ALONG SAID FABRIC MEANS ACROSS EACH POCKET BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE ALONG SAID WEBBING ACROSS THE RELATED POCKET WHEN SAID WEBBING IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNSTRESSED, THEREBY NORMALLY CAUSING SAID FABRIC MEANS AND WEBBING TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AT THE CENTER OF EACH POCKET OPENING SO THAT EACH POCKET GAPES 